Collection Policies
These collection policies are designed to encourage the prompt and orderly payment of monthly charges for electric service by establishing rules, regulations, and additional fees to be collected from the customers who do not comply, and to protect SCPPD and all of its customers from financial losses.
Payment Due Date
Payment due on the SCPPD electric statement must be paid on or before the 15th of the same month in which it is mailed (or, if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday, the next working day following the 15th).
Penalty for Delinquent Payment
If the payment due is not received by the 15th day of the same month the billing is sent, a reminder notice will be mailed to the customer. This notice will state the amount owed plus an additional 7.5% penalty for not promptly and completely paying for all charges due. The customer will then have until midnight on the 25th to pay the billing and penalty in full. This 7.5% penalty is provided to SCPPD as a method of promoting prompt payment by Section 70-408 of the Nebraska State Statutes and is not to be construed as interest on the late payment.
General Interest Charge
If the electrical billing remains unpaid on the last working day of the billing month, SCPPD will add 1 1⁄3 general interest charge to the unpaid amount, and SCPPD will do this each month until the account is paid in full. The general interest provision is authorized by Section 70-101.04(7) of the Nebraska State Statutes.
Collection Dates and Fees
If billing charges have not been paid by the collection day (midnight on the 25th day of the billing month), the account will be turned over to SCPPD personnel for collection and notice of service disconnection. SCPPD personnel will send a seven-day notice of service disconnect as authorized by Section 70-1605 of the Nebraska State Statutes. A $30.00 collection charge will be added to the account total. Prior arrangements may be made monthly for payments no later than the seven-day disconnect date. If prior arrangements are adhered to, the collection charges will be waived. If the arrangement extends past the disconnect date, the total amount of the arrangements must include the past and current amounts due. A disconnect letter will be sent to the customer on the day of collection, giving the customer a seven-day notice prior to disconnection (as required by State Statutes). If collection cannot be made, the electrical service will be subject to disconnect, and the account subject to the additional conditions and terms.
Insufficient Fund Checks and Charges
Any checks returned to SCPPD because of insufficient funds or any other reason shall not be regarded as payment of the account until reimbursed by the customer with cash, cashier’s check, or money order, plus a $30.00 charge for handling the account. All checks of this nature shall be treated as unpaid billings by the 25th day of the month in which the billing was sent and will be subject to immediate disconnect.
Disconnect Dates, Notices, and Reconnect Fees
Electric service shall not be disconnected for at least seven days after the disconnect notice is sent or given to the customer, holidays and weekends shall be excluded from the seven-day notice period. If an SCPPD crew is sent to disconnect a service for non-payment of electric bill and for any reason the service is not disconnected, there will be a service charge of $40.00 for the trip made by the crew. If the service is disconnected because of failure to pay the unpaid billing or failure to pay the meter/security deposit, there shall be a reconnection fee of $75.00 if the reconnection is made during regular working hours. (That is, the crew shall have time to reconnect the service and return to the office during regular working hours.) A reconnection fee of $120.00 will be charged if the reconnection takes place outside of the SCPPD crew’s regular working hours.